Ex-Bulls soccer coach Logan Fleck dies

Former USF men's and women's soccer coach Logan Fleck, who led both teams simultaneously at one point in the mid-1990s, died Sunday of complications from diabetes.

Mr. Fleck, the men's coach at Stetson at the time of his death, was 54. He was preceded in death by his dad -- a former Lehigh University soccer coach -- and a younger brother, Derek, who died in 2003.

"Probably the three of them are playing a little one-on-one up in heaven right now," said Mary Beth Fleck, Mr. Fleck's younger sister.

Mr. Fleck began his career at USF as a men's assistant in the late 1980s, and took over the program in 1994. In three seasons, he compiled a 34-17 record, leading the '96 team to a share of the Conference USA crown and an NCAA Tournament berth.

He started the women's program in '95, leading the inaugural Bulls team to an 11-3 mark. In 12 seasons as women's coach, he amassed a 97-94-18 record with a Conference USA regular season title in '98.

He remains the women's program's winningest coach. Each spring, every Bulls player who earned a 3.0 GPA or better the prior semester got to line up and deliver a pie to Mr. Fleck's face.

"It's just a motivational tool, my way of congratulating them," Mr. Fleck told the Times in April 2006. "But I think they thoroughly enjoy it."

His contract wasn't renewed after the Bulls won only five Big East matches in their first two seasons in the league (2005-06). In 25 seasons as a head coach, including a stint at Arkansas-Little Rock, Mr. Fleck totaled 214 wins.

"Logan was very passionate for the game," Mary Beth Fleck said.

"Beyond the game, he was more passionate about his players. He was very giving and he was the type of individual that no matter what was happening, he was going to keep you going. He was that positive force in your life that whenever obstacles came up, he'd get you through it."

Mary Beth Fleck said her brother -- a Type-2, insulin-dependent diabetic -- had especially struggled with the disease privately in the last couple of months.

"Unfortunately, his body just gave out," she said. "But I know that everyone is shocked because Logan didn't let anybody know it. That's the kind of guy Logan was."

He is survived by his sister; mother Carol Fleck; stepmother Jan Fleck; and a niece, Braden. Funeral arrangements are pending.

“He was a wonderfully caring person, committed to family, friends and student-athletes," Stetson athletic director Jeff Altier said in a news release.

"Logan was passionate about the game of soccer and dedicated himself to advancing the game in college athletics. Logan was a person of high integrity and always demonstrated this integrity in the way he coached the game."

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